Strange but true: seniors fear death less than running out of money in retirement.

And unfortunately, even retirees who have built a nest egg have good reason to be concerned – with the traditional approaches to retirement planning, income may no longer cover expenses. That means retirees are dipping into principal to make ends meet, setting up a race against time between dwindling investment balances and longer lifespans.

Your parents’ retirement investing plan won’t cut it today.

For example, 10-year Treasury bonds in the late 1990s offered a yield of around 6.50%, which translated to an income source you could count on. However, today’s yield is much lower and probably not a viable return option to fund typical retirements.

That means if you had $1 million in 10-year Treasuries, the difference in yield between 1999 and today is more than $1 million.

In addition to the considerable drop in bond yields, today’s retirees are nervous about their future Social Security benefits. Because of certain demographic factors, it’s been estimated that the funds that pay the Social Security benefits will run out of money in 2035.

So what’s a retiree to do? You could cut your expenses to the bone, and take the risk that your Social Security checks don’t shrink. Or you could find an alternative investment that provides a steady, higher-rate income stream to replace dwindling bond yields.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

Dividend-paying stocks from low-risk, high-quality companies are a smart way to generate steady and reliable attractive income streams to replace low risk, low yielding Treasury and bond options.

Look for stocks that have paid steady, increasing dividends for years (or decades), and have not cut their dividends even during recessions.

One way to identify suitable candidates is to look for stocks with an average dividend yield of 3%, and positive average annual dividend growth. Many stocks increase dividends over time, helping to offset the effects of inflation.

Here are three dividend-paying stocks retirees should consider for their nest egg portfolio.

Ameren (AEE) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.63 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.15%. This compares to the Utility – Electric Power industry’s yield of 3.62% and the S&P 500’s yield of 1.6%. The company’s annualized dividend growth in the past year was 6.78%. Check Ameren (AEE) dividend history here>>>

New Jersey Resources (NJR) is paying out a dividend of $0.39 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.61% compared to the Utility – Gas Distribution industry’s yield of 3.61% and the S&P 500’s yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 7.59% over the past year. Check New Jersey Resources (NJR) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.39 per share, Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) has a dividend yield of 5.7%. This is compared to the Banks – Midwest industry’s yield of 3.43% and the S&P 500’s current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 2.63%. Check Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) dividend history here>>>

But aren’t stocks generally more risky than bonds?

The fact is that stocks, as an asset class, carry more risk than bonds. To counterbalance this, invest in superior quality dividend stocks that not only can grow over time but more significantly, can also decrease your overall portfolio volatility with respect to the broader stock market.

A silver lining to owning dividend stocks for your retirement portfolio is that many companies, especially blue chip stocks, increase their dividends over time, helping offset the effects of inflation on your potential retirement income.

Thinking about dividend-focused mutual funds or ETFs? Watch out for fees.

If you’re interested in investing in dividends, but are thinking about mutual funds or ETFs rather than stocks, beware of fees. Mutual funds and specialized ETFs may carry high fees, which could lower the overall gains you earn from dividends, undercutting your dividend income strategy. Be sure to look for funds with low fees if you decide on this approach.

Bottom Line

Whether you select high-quality, low-fee funds or stocks, seeking the steady income of dividend-paying equities can potentially offer you a path to a better and more stress-free retirement.
Ameren Corporation (AEE): Free Stock Analysis Report

NewJersey Resources Corporation (NJR): Free Stock Analysis Report

Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO): Free Stock Analysis Report

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